Getting seriously injured is always a traumatic experience. It can be even worse if it occurs due to someone else’s negligence. Going through this experience isn’t necessarily the only consequence. You may also have to undergo treatment and therapy, and it is likely that you will be prevented from working, and therefore, face financial challenges.
If the accident happened in public due to a defective sidewalk or roadway, you should consider hiring a municipal liability lawyer and filing a claim. Not a lot of people jump at this opportunity, and we understand the reasons behind the hesitation. Due to this, in the following article, we will tell you about some of the multiple benefits of going through with this.
1. Case assessment
As you probably know, many things can affect your situation and eventually determine whether or not you are actually eligible for compensation. For instance, if you slipped and fell on an uneven or in any other way defective sidewalk, you probably believe that you can sue the city. This is true in most cases, but only if there isn’t a sign or any kind of note stating that you should be careful due to possible danger.
If you aren’t completely certain whether you have legal grounds for filing a claim, you have to consult a municipal liability lawyer. Otherwise, according to Fellows Hymowitz, if you choose to proceed on your own, it may be in vain, and you will spend a lot of money and waste precious time along the way.
2. Professionalism and experience
If you do have grounds for filing this claim, you need an experienced attorney in your corner. Keep in mind that this process can be lengthy and complex. Unless you are a lawyer yourself, the chances are that you won’t understand everything that is going on.
When you employ an expert, you can rest assured that they will be completely dedicated to your case and that you won’t have to worry about a single thing. They know all the ins and outs of the process down to the last detail, so they will inform you about the documents you need to gather, tell you how to file a claim, and the like.
In addition, you should always hire a lawyer that has been in this line of business for quite some time. This way, you can be certain that they have already worked on cases similar to yours, and hence, that they can predict any possible problem that may arise down the road.
3. Negotiation skill
Dealing with an insurance company is probably the trickiest aspect of this entire process. You are probably wondering why. After all, you have the legal ground, so they have to give you the compensation, right? Well, this is true. However, you have to know that they will do everything they can to get you to accept the lowest settlement.
This is a common problem that occurs, and unless you have a knowledgeable and experienced individual representing you, you may fall right into this trap. The truth is that the offered amount may seem generous to you, but in reality, the first offer you get will be the lowest one. They will assess the worth of your case and then negotiate with the insurance company until they reach a certain amount. As a general rule, people who employ lawyers always get a higher settlement than those who don’t.
4. Agreement assessment
Once you get the offer from the insurance company, a professional must inspect it. As we have already explained, the insurance company will try to save some money by offering you the lowest settlement possible. In addition, they also may include some clauses that you won’t understand, so you won’t know what you agree to. Under no circumstances should you sign any kind of agreement without consulting a lawyer, especially if you don’t understand every single point of it.
5. Court representation
Unfortunately, not every case is settled in an office building, meaning that you may have to go to court with it. If it comes to this, things can become even more complicated. Surely, you can represent yourself, but this can turn out to be overwhelming and challenging. Many people choose to do this, but your chances of winning the case are very low. Yes, you can take your time to go over every single aspect of the process, but regardless of how much effort you put into it, you still won’t have enough time to go over every single thing.
What’s more, the insurance company’s representative will count on your lack of knowledge and experience. They will bury you in paperwork and simply sit back and wait for you to make a mistake. This is another reason why you need to have a legal representative, someone who will guide you every step of the way, make sure that you understand everything, and naturally work in your best interest.
Moreover, if you have sustained grave injuries, it may not be possible for you to physically be present at the court. Also, if your recovery requires time and therapy, the last thing you need is to deal with lawyers, but instead, you have to focus on your health.
6. Save time and money
The final advantage of employing a municipal liability lawyer is the fact that they will save you both time and money. It sounds impossible, doesn’t it? Well, let us explain. We have already discussed how complex these cases can be, and the truth is that they can go on for months, if not years. If you don’t have a representative, it means that you will need to stay on top of everything at every moment. We are talking about attending hearings, gathering police and medical documentation, filing the forms, and so on. Can you even imagine how much time this will take?
Lastly, the main reason why people choose to go through this process on their own is to save money. They know how expensive lawyers and legal fees can be. Nevertheless, there is something they aren’t aware of. When it comes to this type of case, many attorneys will not charge you unless you win. It means that there are no upfront costs, and basically, you will pay for their services only when you get your settlement.
